Question of constitutionality in House speaker's action may trigger GOP fury

Abbott has six months to rule whether House Speaker Tom Craddick violated the Texas Constitution in the waning days of the session when he refused to recognize fellow members who wanted to file a motion to unseat him.

Craddick claims a speaker has "absolute authority" to recognize or not to recognize members, but his critics, including many in his own party, say the Midland Republican is abusing the authority and that House rules allow for the removal of a speaker during a session.

Craddick

Abbott finds himself in the middle of the House's power struggle because in June Reps. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland and Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, two former members of Craddick's inner circle, asked him to look into the constitutionality of Craddick's unprecedented action.

Regardless of how Abbott rules, it was clear Friday - the deadline to submit briefs in favor or against Craddick's position - that the ruling is not going to make everyone happy and that the Republican-led effort to oust the speaker is likely to intensify and might be the hottest issue in the March GOP primary.

In all, seven Republicans submitted briefs supporting Keffer and Cook, but a much larger group of GOP House members supported Craddick. Some like Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, submitted personal briefs, but one was signed by 15, including Carl Isett of Lubbock. In that brief, the lawmakers tell Abbott he has no jurisdiction on the matter.

Seliger

"Accordingly, the Office of the Attorney General should refrain from issuing an advisory opinion interpreting the House rules," the three-page letter said in its conclusion. "The Office of Attorney General should opine only that the Texas State Constitution does not authorize a process or procedure for removing a speaker for political or personal reasons."

The legal briefs and the attention the House power struggle has generated since the session ended more than two months ago also indicates Craddick is not only fighting to retain his leadership position but may seek a fourth term as speaker. So far, five Republicans, including Keffer and Delwin Jones of Lubbock, and two Democrats have announced they are running against him.

Seliger to host town hall meetings

As he promised before the legislative session ended, Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, will hold town hall meetings starting Tuesday throughout his Senate District 31 to discuss and receive feedback from constituents. He plans to stop in each of the 26 counties in the South Plains, Panhandle and Permian Basin that constitute his district.

"Town hall meetings have proven to be a great opportunity to report to my constituents about the activities of the Texas Legislature," Seliger said in a statement.

The legislative effort to restore the $154 million for community colleges Gov. Rick Perry vetoed in June keeps growing. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, chairwoman of the Senate Higher Education Subcomittee, plans a public hearing on Aug. 14.

Zaffirini wants to hear from budget experts and others how the state can help the two-year schools pay for group health insurance, the central issue in the community colleges' dispute with Perry.

In June, the governor vetoed the funding, which would cover the schools' group health insurance programs, and accused the junior colleges of using deceptive methods to get such funding, a charge that outraged the schools' presidents and their supporters in the Legislature.

Zaffirini is one of the most vocal critics of Perry's veto and is a key legislator because she is vice chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Legislative Budget Board. The 10-member body suggests to the Legislature and to the governor how state money should be spent. The board also includes Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, Craddick and Chisum.